Keyword: skip to the stone

A 2-year-old colt by City Zip consigned by agent Woodside Ranch zipped a quarter in :21 flat to post the fastest work at the distance at the second session of the under tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's "2008 June Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age."

Skip to the Stone, winner of the 2001 Bay Shore (gr. III) at Aqueduct and Baldwin Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Park, has been retired after finishing third in the Independence Day Handicap at Emerald Downs earlier this month.

Squirtle Squirt set scorching early fractions but was overtaken by Early Flyer in deep stretch in Monday's $108,600 Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (gr. III) at Hollywood Park. Under Chris McCarron, Ron McAnally-trained Early Flyer completed the seven furlongs in 1:20.42 on a fast track to earn his first win since February's San Vicente Stakes (gr. II).

Cutting back to a one-turn sprint after running sixth in Point Given's San Felipe (gr. II), Greystone Stable and Vincenzo LoVerso's Skip to the Stone pressed the pace before drawing away to win Saturday's $150,000 Bay Shore Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.

City Zip turns back to seven furlongs in the grade III $150,000 Bay Shore for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct on the Wood Memorial under card, after running four of his last five races in routes on the Triple Crown trail.

It wasn't supposed to happen quite like this. There was nobody breathing down his neck. There was no target to home in on. All that remained up ahead was a quarter-mile of sun-baked Santa Anita dirt. With a quartet of weary rivals to his inside, Point Given, five wide and coasting, was in control of his own destiny. Atop the massive colt, Gary Stevens could sense an urgency. He felt Point Given waiting, pleading to be let loose. Turning for home in the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) on March 17, Stevens shortened his cross, putting the bit firmly in his colt's mouth. For Point Given, it was a cue to roll. His response was emphatic.

Point Given, one of the early favorites for the May 5 Kentucky Derby, will make his first start of the year on Saturday when he breaks from post eight in the grade II, $250,000 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1-16 miles at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

Trainer Bob Baffert will take the wraps off Breeders' Cup runner-up Point Given when he sends out The Thoroughbred Corp.'s colt for his first effort as a 3-year-old in Saturday's grade II San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. Point Given finalized San Felipe preparations by breezing four furlongs in :47.80 Wednesday.

Hill Rise Handicap winner Jamaican Rum worked three furlongs in :36 4/5 Tuesday at Santa Anita in preparation for Saturday's San Felipe Stakes, the final two-turn prep for the Santa Anita Derby on April 7. A late nominee to the San Felipe, Jamaican Rum finished fourth in the Feb.3 San Vicente Stakes.